Stacking device for folding machines



Nov. 22, 1949 c. s. MALOTT, JR

STACKING DEVICE FOR FOLDING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 19, 1946 INVENTOR CLIFTON s. MALOTT JR.

FIG-l ATTORNEYS Nov. 22,1949 c. s. MALOTT, R 2,488,674

STACKING DEVICE FOR FOLDING MACHINES Filed Oct. 19, 1946 v 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR- CLIFTON S. MALOTT JR.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1949 C. S. MALO TT, JR

STACKIi IG DEVICE FOR FOLDING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 19, 1946 FIG-6 CLIFTON S. MALQTT JR.

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ATTORNEYS FIG-7 Patented Nov. 22, 1949 STACKING DEVICE FOR FOLDING MACHINES Clifton s. Malott, in, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The American Laundry Machinery Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 19, 1946, Serial No. 704,401

7 Claims;

This invention relates to stacking machines, such as are used for stacking fiat articles of any kind, such as paper sheets or articles made from textile fabrics. e. g., napkins, handkerchiefs, towels or the like, either folded or unfolded. The

invention will be described with more particular.

reference to its use for stacking folded'fabrlc articles as they come directly from the folding machine.

The present stacking machine is of the bottom stacking type. That is, it adds successive'articles, one by one, to the bottom of the growing stack, which is supported in upright position and is lifted each time another article is added toits lower end. TI

One object of the present invention isto gen erally improve the machine by simpler and more direct operating mechanism for the stack lifting and supporting plates, with the latter so'arrangd as to move substantially horizontally and in such manner as to enable them to be brought close to-.

stacking machine in which the stack supporting plates or fingers are pivoted and thus are capable of operation by very simple mechanism, but nevertheless move generally horizontally or at least with minimum vertical motion, because they are pivoted directly and well below their paths of movement.

Another object is to provideimproved means;

for insuring that each article is fed to and ac-' tually reaches position upon the lifting plates,-

even if delivered to them before they are fully down in work-receiving position.

Another object is to slow up the speed of travel of the articles as they reach their positions jonf the lifting plates, such means being adjustable to be equally effective on either light or, heavy articles.

Still another object is to provide an improved stack guide, including means for more positively. maintaining the stack upright, with-successive piled upon each articles properly alined with or other.

Another object is to provide improved means for guiding the lifting plate during its up-anddown movement, thus always maintaining it level,

and-insuring a symmetrical stack.

Further objects of the invention in part are obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings, which represent one suitable embodiment of the invention. chosen solely for purposes of illustration and in no sense of limitation,

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional elevation on the line ll, Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation from the left in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of a portion of the machine, corresponding to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, is a detail sectional elevation, on the line 4-4, Fig. 3;'

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional elevation, on a larger scale, on the line 5-5, Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view illustrating certain bridging fingers; v

Fig. 7 is a detail plan view on the line 1-1, Fig. 2; and 1 Fig. 8 is a detail sectional elevation, illustrating one of the stack guides. a

The stacking machine shown in the drawings includes a suitable frame designed to rest upon the floor, table or other suitable support and consisting of side members In connected and strongly braced by cross rods I land provided in its low er portion with a horizontal plate l2 which serves as the direct support for the clutch operating mechanism later to be referred to. In suitable bearings I 3, l4 mounted respectively upon brackets l5, l6 supported by the frame, is a rotatable shaft l1 provided at one end with a large sprocket wheel I 8 driven either from the motor or mechanism of the associated folding machine, shown conventionally in dot-dash lines at l9, Fig. 2, as by a sprocket chain 20 passing over an idler 2|.

Upon said shaft is rotatably mounted a longitudinally slidable sleeve 22 provided at one endwith a clutch member 23 and at its opposite end having an enlarged extension 24 which serves as thehub fora small sprocket member 25, which may be connected, as'by chain 26 (Fig. 2), andmay be utilized to drive or operate a cross fold-' ing blade" (not shown) in the associated folder l9;

' Compression spring 21, housed within the sleeve 22 and surrounding shaft I! always tends to move sleeve 221:0 the right in Fig. 1, thus to engage clutch member 23, rotatable with the.

sleeve, with its companion clutch member. 28, fixed to shaft l1. But the clutch members are normally held out of engagement when the stacking parts are not operating, by a roller 29 mounted'u'pon a. lever 30 pivoted at 3| and connected by toggle links 32, 33 to a shaft 34 having an arm 35 connected by link 36 to the plunger 31 of a solenoid or electromagnetic servomotor 38 supported upon a bracket 39 attached to the main frame. Torsion spring 48, wound around the shaft 34, biases said shaft in the clockwise direction, Fig. 2, thus tending .to straighten the toggle links and advance roller 29 into engagement with the track of a cam 4| with which roller 29 cooperates. Fig. 1 shows roller 29 engaged with the cam. Whenever the solenoid 38 is energized the levers 35 and 30 are-apulled down, moving roller 29 out of engagement with the cam. This frees the sleeve 22 for motion to .theright in Fig. 1 thus causing the clutch members to .engage and causing rotation of thesleeve. iSolenoid 38 is energized momentarily, at intervals, by a suitable controlling circuit indicated conventionally at 38a, Fig. 1. This circuit, for example, may be the controlling circuit of the folding machine which causes operation of its folding blade as each article 'reaches'the'folding position. But 'because the-impulse for that purpose is but momentary, whenever roller 29 is 'disengaged from the 'cam and the sleeve 2'2 begins to rotata thesolenoid 38 is deenergized and the next time'the recess of the camtrack in cam 4 l comes around, the roller 29 enters it and the cam, cooperating with' the roller,=returns the sleeve endwise, against the force of spring 27, to its original position, thus 'uncoupling'the clutch.

lIhus'the mechanism-described essentially is a one-revolution control mechanism'for'causing one revolution of sleeve "22 by constantly rotating shaft l1, each time the electromagnet' is energized.

Sleeve 22 supports three cams, "numbered respectively 42, 43, 44, the purpose "of which is to operate the :stacking device.

The stacking device includes two-sets *of generally horizontally extending plates or fingers- 45, one on each side of the machine, the two setso'f fingersrextendingtoward each other, and a lifting plate or plates 46 whichnormallyzlies beneath the stack supporting plates, when the stackingzparts are .not-operating-asshown in full lines, Fig. 1.

Thestack supporting platesor fingers' lli are carried by tubular cross imemloers 4?, extending longitudinally :of the .machine and attached to sidearm- 48, two -.ormore -for.eachset'of fingers, the .side .arms extending downwardly and being attached at theirlowerends tolcollars 49 zfixedto shaft 50, each (of which .is provided :with -a horizontally extending .arm having a roller .52 traveling .upon oneor theotherof the-cams 4-2, 44. 'As shown in Fig. .1 .thetwoarms 5| cross each other, the arm .attached to the .left-hand shaft 50 extending over .to the right-hand cam -44 and that attached to the right-hand shaft 50 extending over to the 'lefthand cam 42. :A tension spring 53 connects two smallfingers '54, .one .attache'dto eachshaft, said spring constantl-yexerting a bias tending to move the .two sets of arms 48 toward each other and the stack supportingplates orifingers to their 'fulli'lineposition, Fi 1.

The "lifting plates 46 .are mounted upon angle brackets 54'a'each supported'by a vertical, cylindricalrod'or pillar'55, the two rods being attached toa p'latei56having a depending bifurcatedstem 51, in whichzis a roller 58 traveling upon cam 43 and held to itby the'tension of two tension springs 59connected at their upper ends to'bent arms .61 (Fig.7) and at their lower ends to eyes El (Figs. 1 and 2) on plate [2. The arms 56 are attached to the stemB'Iand are bent so .that the springs ill) 4 will clear the cams and the parts of the sleeve between them.

The two rods 55 travel between and are each guided by four rollers in two pairs, marked respectively 62, 63, Fig. 2. Rollers 62 for each post are mounted on a plate 64 rigidly fastened to a support .65 mounted on a-frame bracket 66, while rollers 63 for e'achpost aremounted upona plate 61 which is adjustable along a slot 68 in plate 64 so that the two sets of rollers for each post can be moved toward each other for adjustment to Ltake up'slack or wear and to insure true vertical motion of the rods and the lifting plate members 4 6 whichthey. carry.

'Thestack-ofarticles being formed is guided in .its upwardimovement and to some extent is supported, as against toppling over laterally, by up- -wardly-extending-posts or guide members 69, each of -.Whi0h.*i$ provided with an auxiliary rod 70 secured at its lower end to the post and at its upper end being bentlaterally.to.provide an arm Tl whichenters an openingTZ near the topof the,post, against theyielding resistance of a compression spring 13. "These .rods depress themselves into the sides or edges-of thestacked-articles, and guide'themandprevent the pile from toppling.

Conveyor belt T4,.of which .thereis one, traveling down'the center of the stacking machine, as shown in Figs. l..and.3, travels over. front and rear rollers marked respectively 15, 16 ,the latter roller being adjustable vertically by adjustment of its shaft in vertical slots 18a in the-supports 1'8, as shown in Fig.2. The front roller 15 maybe a part of the associated folding machine l9, although of course .it :may be incorporated in and be a'partof the stackeritself, if theiatter is used independently of .a folding machine. As shown, the front roller 15 iaactuaIIy-a portion,-a reduced diameter, of aroller 15a oflarger diameter around whichtravelbelts 15b coming from'and driven by the. folding. machine.

The upper stretch of belt 14 is slightly inclined to the upper surfaceof --the stack lifting 'plates, when the latter are in their lowermost position, andactually intersects that surface midway between the front or left endof the :lifter plate (Fig. 2) and the rear end thereof, the belt graduallyrisingabove the lifter plate towarclthe fixed stop .90 .at its rear -or fright-hand end. Also, 'it will'he observed from Fig. 6 that roller i5 is of smallerdiameter than roller 15a. The purposeis to slow .up .the (speed-of 'thearticles'as they are introduced or. fed intothe stacker from the folder conveyor. Heavy articles, such asrhand orhuck towels, have sufficient momentumtocarry them all .the way'back into the stacker. Therefore, as they =-slide.along the lifting plate, their speed is reduced when they first enter, and the slower movingconveyorbelt "l4 furtherslows 'them and delivers them to their final home position clear at .the back-end of the stacker. In the case of light .or small articles, the rising belt .74 insures their travel all the way'into the stacker, against stop 90. By-adjusting the shaft of roller i6 vertically in the slots 18a, in the manner before 'described, more or-lessof the conveyor length'may be made-effective upon=articles being advanced, this adjustment thus contributing to accurate feed .of .the articles up to=and against the stop, without buckling or wrinkling.

A set 0f bridging .fingers 19 is pivotally .attached to the forward edgeof each of the lifter platesections 46 as shown inFigs. Sand 6. Each lifter plate is provided .with a bracket on which is fixedly mounted a tubular bearing member 8|. Through this extends a shaft 82 provided at each end with a collar 83 to which one of the bridging fingers ,19 is rigidly secured, as by welding or brazinge Each bridging finger assembly is biased in za-r counterclockwise direction, Fig. '5, by a; tension spring 84 extending from an arm 85 on one of the collars 83 to a fixed point 86 on the frame. Thus-theseveral fingers 19 are yieldingly pressed against a cross rod 81 mounted either in thezstacker or in the associated folder. In Fig.- 5,. it will be understood that ,the lifter plates 46 are nearing their lowermost, position, but are not yet fully down, as will be noted and explainedlater. 4

Articles to be stacked are delivered .to the stacking machine fromthe folding machine; one by one or in'sequence, by the constantly moving belts b. i The present machine is so arranged as to preventzanypossibilityl of the next article, coming from the folder, being advanced into the stacker below the lifting plates before the lifting plates have reached their lowest position. Such an article ridesup upon the bridge fingers l9 and is led to its place upon the lifting plates, even though they are'not fully down; as'"shown in Fig. 5. j

,Also, as the; article reaches and is transferred to the lifting plates 46, it at first slides over the continue their upward motionto the positions shownat ,-B,'- at a level above the supporting fingers.

cams 42, advance or return the supporting fingers totheir original positions; but now be-' neath the lifting plates.

During the final 90, the fingers of course re- 10:: main advanced while the cam 43 permits the same, with some reduction in speed, due to frictionon the plates, and then with further reductionin'speed, due to the slower travel of belt '14-, upon which it rides to its final position,

which fingers 45 move. 7

The article remains in place on the lifting plate until the solenoid 38 before referred to is again energized to initiate new stacking operations. At that time the lifting and supporting plates 46, 45 are in the full line positions, Fig. 1.

Energization of solenoid 38 withdraws roller 29 from cam 4| and releases sleeve 22 for movement to the right, Fig. 1, thus closing the clutch. Shaft ll therefore turns said sleeve for one complete revolution, or until the same cam again engages the roller 29 (now released by the solenoid) and returns the sleeve to its former position and opens the clutch. Cams 42, 43 and 44 are wide enough to permit the necessary sleeve motion.

During the single revolution of sleeve 22 these events occur:

During the first 90 of rotation, the cams 42, 44, elevate arms 5! and fully retract the stack supporting plates or fingers. These move outwardly to their dotted line positions, Fig. 1, with very little lift, because shafts 56 are directly beneath the stack supporting portions of fingers 45 and well Within the outer edges of the lifting plate. By the time fingers 45 are withdrawn, the lifting plates 46, carrying the next article, have been elevated by cam 43 to the position marked A" Fig. 1, just below the fingers 45. The ends of the two sets of fingers are quite close to each other, when they are advanced, thus supplying wide and full support to the stack and preventing it from sagging at the middle. As the fingers seperate they allow the stack to be deposited upon the rising lifting plates.

During the second 90, the supporting fingers or plates remain retracted, While the lifter plates lifter plates to descend to their original positions, thus depositing the stack upon supporting fingers 45,-,where .it was before, but. this time with another-article-added to the bottom of the pile; e

During the described stacking operation, if a following articlefollows the first too closely and. the 'partsreach a position, as shown in Fig.5,

with article X ready to advanceupon the-lifting platesbefore they are fully down, such'an article; rides to; place over the bridgingfingers 19, as be-.

fore described;

-Both the supporting fingers and-lifting plates" are more or less directly: operated by cams on the sleeve 2|, with minimum connectingmechanism. and thus are dependable and notlikely to get out of order.- Horizontal movement of fingers 45 prevents unnecessary disturbance of the stack,"

while yielding-guide postmembers 10; assist in keeping it straight and prevent it from toppling. The mechanism is also equally effective upon both thin or limp articles and thick'or heavy ones.

Other advantagesof the invention will be ap parent to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. Stacking apparatus, comprising a stack lifting plate, means for supporting a stack of articles above said plate, and an endless conveyor for advancing an article along said plate to stacking position, the upper stretch of said conveyor extending in the direction of article advance from a point below to a point above said plate.

2. Stacking apparatus, comprising a stack lifting plate, means fon supporting a stack of articles above said plate, parallel, endless conveying members for feeding an article to and across the plate to stacking position thereon, means for reciprocating the plate vertically to deliver the articles fed to it to the stack, and bridging fingers attached to the plate near its article receiving edge and extending downwardly between said members for preventing articles fed to the plate from advancing to a position beneathit.

3. Stacking apparatus, comprising a stack lifting plate, means for supporting a stack of articles above said plate, parallel, endless conveying members for feeding an article across the plate to stacking position thereon, the upper stretch thereof being inclined upwardly from a point below to a point above the plate, means for reciprocating the plate vertically to deliver the articles fed to it to the stack, and bridging means attached to the plate near its article receiving edge for preventing articles fed to it from advancing to a position beneath the plate, said bridging means comprising a plurality of fingers pivoted to that edge of the plate lying above the conveying members and extending downwardly between said members toward the advancing articles to thereby receive their leading edges and compel them to ride up over the bridging fingers to a position above and upon the plate.

4. Stacking mechanism of the character described, comprising a frame, a lifting plate vertically movable'in theframe, oppositely disposed stack supporting members located above the lifting plate and movable toward and from each other, a horizontal shaft located below the lifting plate, means for continuously rotating said shaft, a sleeve movable endwise upon the shaft and provided with cam means for operatingsaid lifting plate and stack supporting members, and clutch means operated by endwise sleeve movement for coupling and uncoupling the sleeve and shaft 5.- Stacking-mechanism, comprising a frame, a lifting plate vertically movable in the frame, oppositely disposed stack supporting members located above the lifting plate and movable toward and from each other, said lifting plate having a depending post, and two sets of oppositely disposed grooved rollers engaging opposite sides of said post and serving to support and guide the same, one set of said rollers being mounted in fixed position upon the frame, and a support for the other set of rollers movably mounted upon the framefor adjustment of the second set toward and from the first set.

6; Stacking mechanism of the character described, comprising a frame, a lifting plate-vertically movable in the frame, oppositely disposed stack supporting members located above-the lift- 8 article across it, a feed belt for delivering articles to the conveyor, and a roller shaft common to said belt and conveyor and having roller portions supporting both, the roller portion for the conveyor being of smaller diameter than that for the belt, to thereby reduce the speed of articles being advanced to stacking position.

'7; Stacking apparatus, comprising a stack lifting plate, means for supporting a stack of articles above said plate, an endless conveyor for advancing an article along said plate to stacking position, the upper stretch of said conveyor extending in the direction of article advance from a. point below to a point above said plate, and means whereby the delivery end of the upper conveyor stretch may be adjusted vertically to vary the length Of that portion of the conveyor extending above the plate and efiective upon the articles being advanced.

CLIFTON S. MALOTT, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,266,737 Wood et al May 21, 1918 1,516,770 Grunlee Nov. 25, 1924 1,943,500 Winkler et a1. Jan. 16, 1934 1,960,667 I-Iutt et al May 29, 1934 2,224,606 Neckel Dec. 10, 1940 2,329,413 Neja Sept. 14, 1943 

